Dougie Rankin from Total Vauxhall mail me to ask if I would mind showing DHR as a 'readers car' at the Performance Vauxhall show, at Santa Pod this year. Now they were very good to me with regards the photoshoot and the use of their pictures, so I said I'd be only to happy to oblige. What I didn't know at the time was that they would send through two free tickets. Joanne said her and Alex would come along as well.

Well Sunday the 7th of June and I awake to the sound of rain hitting the bedroom window as if a jet wash was being used. It was chucking it down. If I had a raft we could have sailed to Santa Pod. Joanne took one look and said "forget it". I was in two minds what to do. It wasn't that I didn't want to take my baby out in the rain, (okay that was part of it); I was just thinking that the whole thing might have been called off, it was that bad.

Anyway I'm awake now so I decide to go. I packed a big umbrella, a waterproof coat, a spare pair of shoes and socks and a hat. Nothing like being prepared. I set off at eight hoping to get there for nine. I arrived at nine thirty as the rain just didn't stop all the way and at times it was like I was underwater. Still no queue to get in!

I get shown to the stand to be greeted by Dougie, soaked to the skin and looking like he'd been dunked in a swimming pool. He parked me up and I got out to say hello. Big mistake! Within seconds I was soaked through. We talked under the Total Vauxhall van until another car arrived and I took the chance to dive back into DHR.

After about half an hour I thought I should show these youngsters that us old boys can take a bit of weather too, so I got everything ready to have a walk around. Now I'd been sitting in DHR, while all these youngsters came and peered at her. The rain made me feel like I was a goldfish in a bowl. They were mostly just in 'hoodies', all be it designer hoodies, all with their trousers at half mast and baseball caps at funny angles. I bet their soggy trainers cost more than my whole attire put together. They were soaked to the skin but still smiling. I could handle that! So with my big coat, hat, umbrella and collar turned up I had a stroll about. They couldn't see if my trouser's were at half mast because the coat covered them! Talk about make you feel old! Dougie had said that mine would be the oldest car at the show today, he didn't tell me that I'd be the oldest person! Not to be outdone I turned my flat cap half way round and said 'yo' a lot.

I did get a lot of interest in DHR, more than I thought I would. A lot of people asking to see under the bonnet. I started to get into it more and called them all 'dude' and poked my fingers at funny angles. Offering high fives just got me some strange looks though! The guy on the mike mentioned DHR quite a few times which made me smile. I think half the people were trying to work out what type of car it was.

After ten minutes I gave up and got back into DHR. I was soaked. The water had come through the coat, through my shoes and into my socks. Bugger this...I'm not getting back out till it stops. I put on my other pair of shoes and socks and spoke to people through a crack in the window. Miserable old git!

The rain finally stopped at about one. The car was steamed up something rotten and all I'd had to eat was my old foggies tin of boiled car sweets.

They started running down the track at about two thirty I think. The only things of real interest to me was a CF van with a Cosworth engine in it, a mini with a Vauxhall engine in it, a few VX220's and a Holden pick-up. Now this is just an age thing. These people were doing exactly what we use to do thirty odd years ago. I use to go to 'Ally Pally', Battersea etc., which was the performance shows of the day. The cars here WERE good. The money spent on them must have been immense and yes they can play their music louder than we ever could, but it just isn't my thing. But I wouldn't deny them their pleasure and good luck to them. As I've said before though, "if I can't work on the engine, I'm not interested". Give me the 1960's any day.

Mind you they had to rely on DHR to help with one of the so called reliable modern cars. I lent them some jump leads to start it and got a nice Total Vauxhall goody bag for my troubles.

The CF van did a very respectable 13 second run I think and the VX's were in the 12's but nothing to set the pulse racing for me. I was hoping to see Red Victor One of course, but they blew the gearbox on the Saturday so that was that.

I left at four in beautiful sunshine and had to wear my sunglasses all the way home. Then at Hemel it chucked it down again. Funny old world.